Maillot de bain securite pour enfant

ABSTRACT

A safety swimsuit for children of the single piece type, extends from at least the crotch to the shoulders and includes integrated buoyancy elements adapted to hold the infant out of the water above the shoulders, these buoyancy elements being constituted by two floats of polymeric foam surrounding respectively the articulation of each shoulder. The polymer foam is constituted by a closed cell polymer foam.

The present invention relates to a safety swimsuit for children of thesingle piece type, extending from at least the crotch to the shouldersand comprising integrated buoyancy elements adapted to maintain theinfant out of the water above the shoulders, these buoyancy elementsbeing constituted by two floats surrounding respectively each shoulderjoint.

Such a swimsuit is disclosed in the patent FR-B-2 695 010. The floatsare preferably constituted by a body of foam present in the form of astraight rectangular parallepiped. The foam used is constituted ofpolyethylene with reticulated cells having the followingcharacteristics: density 30 kg/m³, resistance to traction 0.26 N/mm² andelongation at rupture of 130%.

However, it has been noted that this foam has numerous drawbacks inconnection with a safety swimsuit for children. Thus, the use of thistype of foam has led to the result that after use in a swimming pool,the foam loses part of its properties. It might thus be supposed thatthe products used in swimming pools to maintain the water clean haveplayed a role in the loss of effectiveness of this foam.

To overcome this drawback, the present invention has for its object toprovide a swimsuit as described above in which the foam used toconstitute the floats has very good properties despite the use in aswimming pool.

Thus, the invention has for its object a safety swimsuit for an infantof the single piece type, extending from at least the crotch to theshoulders and comprising integrated buoyancy elements adapted tomaintain the infant out of the water above the shoulders, these buoyancyelements being constituted by two floats of polymeric foam surroundingrespectively each shoulder joint, characterized in that the polymericfoam is constituted by a polymeric foam with closed cells.

In a very much preferred way, the polymeric foam with closed cells usedin a swimsuit according to the invention permits improving the technicalcharacteristics of safety of said swimsuit even during use in a swimmingpool, said foam being perfectly sealed.

Preferably, the foam according to the invention is a foam ofpolyethylene, low density polyethylene, high density polyethylene,polypropylene, polyvinyl chloride, or of any other suitable polymer,with closed cells.

A foam according to the invention, perfectly sealed, fulfills inparticular the criteria according to the European standards which willcome into force, which is to say with a volume loss after thermaltreatment that is satisfactory and an inherent compressibility of theflotation material that will also be satisfactory.

Such a foam also has for example:

a density of the order of 26 Kg/m³;

resistance to compression of the order of 25 KPa at 25%; 50 KPa at 40%;76 KPa at 50%; 120 KPa at 60%;

a tensile strength of 220 Kpa;

an elongation at rupture of 365%;

a temperature of utilization comprised between −70° C. and +80° C.

According to a preferred embodiment, the polymeric foam with closedcells is a cross-linked copolymer foam with closed cells such as forexample an ethylene/vinyl acetate (EVA) copolymer foam.

This foam preferably has the following characteristics: a density of 25kg/m³, a resistance to compression of the order of 30 KPa at 25%; 60 KPaat 40%; 90 KPa at 50%; 135 KPa at 60%;

a tensile strength of 350 Kpa;

an elongation at rupture of 185%;

a utilization temperature comprised between −70° C. and +65° C., apermeability of 0.60 ng/Pa/s/m for a specimen thickness of 25 mm, and awater absorption in %volume at 1 day <0.1, at 7 days <0.3, at 11 days<0.4 and at 28 days <0.5. Such a foam thus offers very advantageousproperties.

Preferably, not only the cross-linked polymeric foam with closed cellshas characteristics of floatability according to the requirements ofsecurity, but also this foam shows in a surprising manner a prolongedresistance to use in a swimming pool, contrary to the foams previouslyused.

1. Safety swimsuit for children of the one piece type, extending from atleast the crotch to the shoulders and comprising integrated floatabilityelements adapted to hold the child out of the water above the shoulders,these buoyancy elements being constituted by two floats of polymericfoam surrounding respectively the joint of each shoulder, characterizedin that the polymeric foam is constituted by a closed cell polymericfoam.
 2. Swimsuit according to claim 1, characterized in that the closedcell polymeric foam is a foam of polyethylene, low density polyethylene,high density polyethylene, polypropylene, polyvinyl chloride, or anyother suitable polymer with closed cells.
 3. Swimsuit according to claim1, characterized in that the polymeric foam with closed cells is across-linked co-polymeric foam with closed cells.
 4. Swimsuit accordingto claim 3, characterized in that the cross-linked copolymer foam withclosed cells is ethylene/vinyl acetate (EVA) copolymer foam.